1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a multi-lumen catheter and, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a multi-lumen catheter having a separated tip section.
2. Background of Related Art
Catheters for supplying and/or withdrawing fluids into and/or from the body are well known in the art and may be employed for medication delivery, urine removal and blood treatment, e.g., hemodialysis, to name a few. Single and multilumen catheters are well known. Typically, catheters used for hemodialysis are multilumen catheters and include a body which defines an arterial lumen and a venous lumen. During an exemplary hemodialysis procedure, a distal portion of a multilumen catheter is inserted into a patient and blood is withdrawn through the arterial lumen of the catheter. The withdrawn blood is supplied to a hemodialysis unit which purifies the blood by removing waste and toxins from the blood. Thereafter, the purified blood is returned to the patient through the venous lumen of the catheter.
One problem associated with multilumen dialysis catheters is the potential for recirculation of blood from the distal end of the venous lumen through the distal end of the arterial lumen. In an effort to minimize blood recirculation, catheters have been developed in which the arterial lumen and the venous lumen openings are laterally spaced. These catheters minimize blood recirculation by distancing the arterial lumen distal opening from the venous lumen distal opening.
Catheters can be manufactured using a variety of different techniques including, for example, thermoforming, extrusion, blow molding, rotational molding and injection molding. However, the manufacturing of dual lumen catheters with laterally spaced or separated tip sections complicates known catheter manufacturing processes.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists in the medical arts for a simpler, cost effective method for manufacturing a catheter having a separated tip section.